SU-47 Opinions

[Gorduz]

Sounds plausible to me. EM waves can just as waterwaves reflect as a result of atmospheric conditions (ala themal layers in the water). If one made a system thats able to analyze a wave sent upwards, then reflected downwards to hit the plane. Then reflected upwards and downwards to the radar again it should be no problem to detect a stealth plane. Now the problem is how to seperate that wave form all the others, but in theory it should be possible.

[bradclark1]

But wouldn't a bounce cause a return/hit. Thats what radar is isn't it? Signals bouncing off an object.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Skybird

But if they get painted directly from below or above, their visibility increases immensely. Don't know how much visible they become.

We talking target acquisition visible. Remember that F-117 over in Serbia? Where the Serb air defenses were using radio signals or radar signals set to long wavelengths bouncing off the F-117 to detect, track and kill it with an old as hell SA-3.

[XabbaRus]

The SU-47 is just a technology demonstrator with no plans to put it into production as a fighter.

The NASA project was the X-31.

It looks cool but the Russians have figured there are better ways.

[snowsub]

Bumber if they don't start productionon it.
Whenever I read about next generation planes that's the design I imagine...
Ow Well


Semi OT

Stealth Aircraft not Immune

Edinburg is also linked to a third Jindalee transmitter and receiver at Alice Springs, which has operated as a JORN test site since 1993. McElroy says the Jindalee radar is very difficult to jam because of the way the signal is propagated over the ionosphere. "It can also detect stealth bombers, which are not designed to defeat the characteristics of Jindalee's high frequency radar," he said.

Stealth aircraft, such as the US Nighthawk F117A, are designed with sharp leading edges and a flat belly to minimise reflections back towards conventional ground-based radars. However, Jindalee radar bounces down from the ionosphere onto upper surfaces that include radar-reflecting protrusions for a cockpit, engine housings and other equipment.

Group Captain Hockings says stealth aircraft are coated with special radar absorbing material to avoid detection by conventional microwave radar. But the Jindalee radar uses high frequency radio waves, which have a much longer frequency than microwave radar. "Unless designed to be stealthy to both microwave and HF radars, (stealth) aircraft would not evade detection by JORN," he said.

taken from the 3rd link

and...

JORN has two high frequency ("high frequency" in the context refers to high frequency radio between about 3 and 30 MHz, far lower than most other civilian and military radars that operate in microwave frequencies) radio transmitters at Longreach and Laverton. Each put out a 20 kilowatt signal. The signal is bounced off the Ionosphere and is received at the Longreach and Laverton. The system allows the Australian Defence Force to observe all air and sea activity north of Australia to distances of 3000km. This encompasses all of Java, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and halfway across the Indian Ocean.

The JORN system is so sensitive it was able to track planes taking off and landing in east Timor 2600 km away. It is also reportedly able to detect stealth aircraft; aside from the fact that most stealthy aircraft are optimized for defeating much higher-frequency radar from front-on rather than low-frequency radars from above, JORN is reputedly able to detect aircraft wake turbulence. Research is proceeding into using JORN to detect missiles, in cooperation with American missile defence research

And since "it was built by RLM Management in partnership with Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Lockheed Martin, Telstra, BAE, Tenix, Marconi_Company. "
I'd say LM and BAE involvement in it give's it cred in detecting stealth, although I'd bet they are looking at trying get around even this type of detection.

Food for thought
Snowsub

[Wim Libaers]

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

The SU-47 is just a technology demonstrator with no plans to put it into production as a fighter.

The NASA project was the X-31.

It looks cool but the Russians have figured there are better ways.

X-31 was the thrust vectoring test platform.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/n...-009-DFRC.html
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/X-31/

X-29 is the one with the forward swept wing.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/n...-008-DFRC.html
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/X-29/

[XabbaRus]

Ah that's right, thought I'd got them mixed up..

cheers